Notre Dame's Freeman Downplays Indiana's National Title Trophy Tour

Head coach says he's 'very intentional' about avoiding social media distractions.

Apr. 1, 2026 at 3:13pm

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Notre Dame football head coach Marcus Freeman brushed off questions about Indiana's national championship trophy tour making a stop in South Bend, saying he doesn't pay attention to social media and that his team needs to focus on its own preparations for the upcoming season rather than worrying about outside distractions.

Why it matters

The visit of Indiana's national title trophy to Notre Dame's backyard could be seen as a provocation, but Freeman is taking the high road and using it as an opportunity to reinforce his team's focus on its own goals and process rather than getting caught up in rivalries or external noise.

The details

Indiana's 2025 College Football Playoff national championship trophy is currently on a statewide tour, with one of the stops scheduled for South Bend, home of rival Notre Dame. When asked about the trophy's visit, Freeman said he wasn't even aware of it until the media brought it up, joking that's why he's 'very intentional about not being on social media.' Freeman said his team can't get distracted by thinking about national championships or playoff berths, and instead needs to focus on improving day-to-day.

  • The Indiana national championship trophy tour began on March 24 in Richmond.
  • The trophy will make its third stop in South Bend on April 2.
  • The tour will continue with visits to Kokomo, Indianapolis, Evansville, Fort Wayne, New Albany, and Columbus through April 21.

The players

Marcus Freeman

The head football coach of the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

Mike Beradino

A reporter for the South Bend Tribune who interviewed Freeman.

J.D. PicKell

A reporter for On3 who interviewed Freeman.

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What they’re saying

“'You know, I'm very intentional about not being on social media, and I wouldn't have even known that till you said that, but you remind me why I don't get on social media. I don't need that.'”

— Marcus Freeman, Head Coach, Notre Dame Fighting Irish

“'But us looking at that national championship, us thinking about a national championship isn't helping us get better in the moment. And we all know why we come to Notre Dame. If you don't have aspirations of winning a national championship or moving on to the next level in the NFL, you're probably at the wrong place. … But we don't need to focus on that, we need to focus on what we have. … We can't really worry about the destination or an outcome, we have to focus on what we have.'”

— Marcus Freeman, Head Coach, Notre Dame Fighting Irish

“'I think the way we use that is to not waste it. To not just blame somebody else for the situation that we were in. I believe you sleep in the bed you make. God is fair. We left doubt. We left doubt. So don't blame somebody else for the situation that we were in and know that we've got to remember that as we continue to prepare for this year.'”

— Marcus Freeman, Head Coach, Notre Dame Fighting Irish

What’s next

The Indiana national championship trophy tour will continue with upcoming stops in Kokomo on April 7, Indianapolis on April 9, and several other cities across the state through April 21.

The takeaway

Freeman is taking a measured approach to the rival Hoosiers' national title celebration, using it as an opportunity to reinforce his team's focus on its own preparation and process rather than getting distracted by outside noise or rivalries. His message is clear: Notre Dame needs to leave no doubt next season and control its own destiny rather than relying on the playoff committee.